FIRST LEGO League Explore

Click here to read the update. 2026-2027 will be the last school year for FLL.
​https://education.lego.com/en-us/first-lego-league/partnership-update/

2017-2018 awards ceremony, held at Gideon Welles School 
       FIRST LEGO League Explore is designed for students in grades 2-4. Participants receive an "engineering workbook" to follow along with some of the activities led by the coaches, our parent volunteers. There are 2 coaches per team, with a maximum of 6 students per team (including their own children). All coaches have to pass a background check offered through the Glastonbury Board of Education. The best way to ensure participation for your child is by coaching. No prior experience or particular expertise is required to coach... just commitment, patience and a positive attitude to make it fun!
Payment is not registration; only students that have confirmation they are on a team should make payment. Thank you.

Meeting Schedule

2025-2026 FLL Explore Season
Remaining Dates:
Normal meeting time from 6:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
​
BUTTONBALL: March 9, 10, 17
HEBRON AVE: March 9, 10, 17
HOPEWELL: March 9, 10, 17
NAUBUC: March 9, 11, 17
NAYAUG: March 9, 10, 17

Coaching

       FLL Explore teams are 100% dependent on the coaches. We are so lucky to have so many willing parents in our community. Coaches are expected to read the coach manual ahead of the season and be familiar with the student workbook to prepare activities for each meeting. They are responsible for every aspect of leading the team along a fun journey, culminating in sharing a completed model and trifold display at the Expo!
Coach Training Meeting and Equipment Pick Up
at Glastonbury High School
Presentation in the AUDITORIUM,
followed by equipment pick up.
(Returning coaches can just pick up their equipment
if they don't want to stay for the presentation.)

7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
​Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Student Mentors

       FLL Explore team coaches sometimes can also use the support of a student mentor. Depending on the age of the participants on the team and the age of the mentor, the leadership role varies. If you would like your grade 5-12 child who has participated in any FIRST program before to be a mentor, you can sign up with the button below and I will try to find a team for them.

2026 Program Leaders

BUTTONBALL        Sarah Johnson  [email protected]
HEBRON AVE        Caroline Spencer   [email protected]
HOPEWELL            Laura Horn     [email protected]
NAUBUC               Rewatee Gokhale     [email protected]
NAYAUG             Alison Valerie      ​​[email protected]

What is FLL Explore?

Culminating Events

  • Each school will have their own event at their elementary school on the last evening of the season, March 17, 2026.​
  • Teams are also invited to display their work at their school's STEAM night.

Benefits of Participating

       Students that participate in FLL Explore are more likely to participate in other FIRST programs, like FLL Challenge and FRC. FRC prepares students for jobs and qualifies them for $$millions$$ in FIRST scholarships.

Payment

If invited to join a team, please pay on RevTrack.
HOME
STATS: 1,368 students in 10 years
​2016, Waste Wise, 12 teams, 72 students (meetings at Hopewell)
2017, Creature Craze, 14 GPS teams, 6 GEMS teams, 120 students (meetings at Hopewell)
2018, Aqua Adventure, 14 GPS teams, 6 GEMS teams, 120 students (meetings at Gideon)
2019, Mission Moon, 17 GPS teams, 5 GEMS teams, 132 students (meetings at Gideon)
2020, Boomtown Build, 20 teams, 120 students, Expo cancelled due to COVID (meetings at Gideon)
2021, Playmakers, 12 teams online (with LEGO delivery), 72 students, no Expo
2022, Cargo Connect, 25 teams wearing masks, 150 students, Expo in masks (meetings at Gideon)
2023, Superpowered, 25 teams, 150 students (meetings at GHS)
2024, Masterpiece, 35 teams, 210 students (meetings at GHS)
2025, Submerged, 21 teams, 122 students (meeting in 5 schools)
​2026, Unearthed, 35 teams, 208 students (meeting in 5 schools)